Fertilizer mixer



Dec. 27, 1966 w. w. COCHRAN FERTILIZER MIXER Filed June 1, 1965 m WVENTOR United States Patent i 3,214,373 FERTHLIZER MIXER William W. tCochi-an, 462 Holiday Drive, Decatur, ill. 62526 Filed June 1, 1965, Ser. No. 460,014 3 Claims. ((11. 259107) Presently drum and other type mixers are used for mixing raw fertilizing materials, sometimes in a quantity of several tons in a single batch for the purpose of mixing the raw materials to meet an analysis for a soil. When mixing time has been reached the combined lot is allowed to run down a spout or other device to the user truck.

It has been found that a great percentage of mixed fertilizer batches have lost their plant food value due to improper mixing or to segregation in the loadout device or a combination of the two.

Segregation takes place because the various types of fertilizer ingredients have difierent particle sizes and weights and when being removed by gravity down a discharge spout or other device they tend to move, like particle to like particle.

Evidence of this segregation is easily determined at the discharge spout by observing the reunited colors of the various fertilizers or by testing.

When segregation has taken place diiferent fertilizer ingredients are being emitted from the loadout spout in distinctive streams of like materials.

It is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved mixing device of simplified construction partic ularly adapted to mix granular materials having particles of varied sizes and densities.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a new and improved mixing device in which granular material is mixed in a horizontal plane on a mixing plate and subsequently laterally discharged where it may fall into a chute of decreasing size for further mixing thereof.

It is a further object of my invention to remix the various particles near the end of their journey at the bottom of the loading spout. To obtain this result my device will Change the flow by the combined action of the revolving table and spiral from a vertically downward to a spiraling outward flow, sheetlike in form. This action affect particles of all sizes and weights nearly equally, thereby causing their impartial separation and random distribution prior to being thrust against a diverting surface which deflects the particles downward where they continue mixing while falling a short distance by gravity until contacting a second surface which diverts their flow inward for final mixing and recombination before they descend by gravity the short distance to the users truck in which segregation will be negligible.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that this device will remix poorly mixed granular free flowing materials as well as materials subjected to segregation.

Further and fuller objects will become readily apparent when reference is made to the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is an exterior view with certain portions of the outer shell of the device removed in order to show relationship with the inner mechanism.

FIG. 2 is a transverse cross section giving direct relationship between the outer shell which forms a function in this device with the inner mechanism.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, the mixer of the present invention is shown as having a housing formed of an upper section 13 and a lower section 14 each of which may be frusto-conical or similar shape. At the upper end of the upper housing section 13 is provided an inlet 10 which may be formed from a cylindrical sleeve having the 3, 94,373 Patented Dec. 27, 1966 "ice discharge end thereof disposed within the upper section 13 of the housing.

A mixing table 11 is formed from a flat plate provided with a vertically projecting vane 12 which is wound in a spiral fashion having the center or axis of generation of the spiral disposed at the middle of the mixing plate or table 11. The spirally shaped vane forms a discharge opening at the terminal end of the vane 12 immediately adjacent the periphery of the mixing plate.

The mixing table is supported on a shaft 16 mounted in a bearing sleeve 17. The shaft 16 projects from the bearing column 17 as at 18 and includes a pulley 19 (shown in FIG. 1 only) driven by an endless belt 20. The belt 20 in turn is driven by a drive pulley 21 mounted on the shaft of a motor 22.

The lower section 14 of the housing is provided with a discharge or outlet opening 15 through which the material which has been mixed is discharged. The lower section of the housing is of decreasing cross section to recombine and assist in the mixing function as the particles are discharged from the periphery of the mixing plate 11.

In operation, particulate material which is formed of granules of diverse sizes, shapes and weights, enter the inlet 10. Due to the close spacing between the upper margin of the spirally wound vane 12 and the lower end of the inlet, the granular material is required to pass across the mixing plate if flow is continuous. The motor 22 drives the pulley 19 through the endless belt 20 rotating the mixingplate 12 and causing the particulate material to flow around the spiral vane which agitate the particles into a randomized pattern without regard to shape, size or weight. The particulate material is then discharged from the outer terminal end of the spiral vane along the periphery of the mixing plate 11 where it falls into the inwardly tapering or frustoconical lower housing section 14 where it is further mixed and discharged out through opening 15. The shape of the lower housing sec tion 14 serves to prevent segregation of the particles.

It is to be appreciated that the mixer of the present invention is of exceedingly simple construction yet provides excellent mixing action to obtain the optimum randomization of particles in granular material such as fertilizer and the like. Accordingly, when these granular materials are properly mixed the subsequent application will be uniform to obtain the desired results. Obviously, the present mixer is suited for use with any type of material which is subject to segregation due to differences in particle size, shape or weight.

Although the present illustration and description of this invention is for mixing of materials known to be improperly mixed, it will become immediately obvious to those skilled in the art that other forms are possible once the present arrangement is known, accordingly, any limitations imposed should be within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

The invention having been described and illustrated, what is claimed as new is:

1. A mixer particularly adapted for mixing particulate materials and the like, said mixer comprising a housing formed from upper and lower housing sections, each of said sections having base portions which are disposed in abutting engagement, an outlet formed in the lower one of said housing sections and an inlet formed in the upper one of said housing sections, a mixing plate positioned in closely spaced relation to said inlet, means for rotating said mixing plate about an axis which is substantially vertical to cause radially outward agitational movement of said particulate material to be mixed, said mixing plate including a spirally wound vane thereon, said vane being wound about itself and having a center axi portion thereof disposed in substantial vertical alignment with said inlet end whereby said particulate material will enter at the center of said mixing plate and flow spirally outward to thoroughly mix the same, said particulate material being discharged from the outer periphery of said mixing plate into said lower section containing said outlet, said lower housing section being formed to a cross sectional shape diminishing in area progressively towards said outlet thereby being operative to further mix said particulate material on discharge from said mixing plate and movement toward Said outlet.

2. The mixer of claim 1 wherein said inlet includes a cylindrical sleeve having an inner end portion positioned adjacent said spirally wound vane on said mixing plate, said inlet end being sufficiently closely spaced to said mixing plate to require substantially all of said particulate material entering said inlet end to pass across said mixing plate whereby said material will be thoroughly mixed.

3. A mixer for use in mixing granular materials having particles of diverse compositions, sizes and weights, said mixer comprising a housing, an inlet formed in an upper end of said housing and an outlet formed in a lower end of said housing, a rotatable mixing plate positioned within said housing closely adjacent said inlet, means for rotating said mixing plate within said housing about a substantially vertical axis whereby granular material entering said inlet housing between a mixing plate and said outlet being formed in a"generally inwardly converging shape to cause additional mixing and prevent segregation of said materials.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,012,795 12/1911 Barth 27515 1,855,548 4/1932 Forster 259-8 2,266,652 12/1941 McLean 259-8 2,577,095 12/ 1951 Walker 2598 3,051,454 8/1962 Goos et al 259-8 3,163,402 12/1964 Yamashita 2598 WALTER A. SCHEEL, Primary Examiner.

R. W. JENKINS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A MIXER PARTICULARLY ADAPTED FOR MIXNG PARTICULATE MATERIAL AND THE LIKE, SAID MIXER COMPRISING A HOUSING FORMED FROM UPPER AND LOWER HOUSING SECTIONS, EACH OF SAID SECTIONS HAVING BASE PORTIONS WHICH ARE DISPOSED IN ABUTTING ENGAGEMENT, AN OUTLET FORMED IN THE LOWER ONE OF SAID HOUSING SECTIONS AND AN INLET FORMED IN THE UPPER ONE OF SAID HOUSING SECTIONS, A MIXING PLATE POSITIONED IN CLOSELY SPACED RELATION TO SAID INLET, MEAND FOR ROTATING SAID MIXING PLATE ABOUT AN AXIS WHICH IS SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL TO CAUSE RADIALLY OUTWARD AGITATIONAL MOVEMENT OF SAID PARTICULATE MATERIAL TO BE MIXED, SAID MIXING PLATE INCLUDING A SPIRALLY WOUND VANE THEREON, SAID VANE BEING WOUND ABOUT ITSELF AND HAVING A CENTER AXIS PORTION THERE- 